Circular knitting machine



May 1931. w. T. BARRATT CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE Filed April 4, 1930 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 i K8 g May 5, 1931. w. T. BARRATT CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE Filed' April 4. 1930 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 1717067117071 2) 21217211111711 T BO JT'cZ/Z'Jfi y 1931- w. T. BARRATT CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE 'e Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed April 4, 1930 fizveri/to 50111101771 IZT Bar/77 0066. Z7

May 19.31. w. T. BARRATT "1,803,833

CIRCULAR. KNITTING MACHINE Filed April 4, 1930 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented May 1931 rsbasss UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE- WILI-IAIM '1. BA RRATT, OF'BENNING'LON, VERMONT, ASSIGNOR TO CHARLES COOPER (DMPAN'Y, INCL, OF BENNINGTON, VERMONT, A CORPORATION OF VERMONT CIRCULAR KNITTING macmnn Application filed April 4,

being pre erably used in connection with two conical needle cylinders employing spring needles to produce a rib fabric.

The circular knitting machine of this in' 1 vention is in many respects like the circular knitting machine for which" application was filed by me on December 12, 1929, Serial No. 413,593 for Circular knitting machine, but difiers therefrom in that the machine of this invention has in each feed not only a presser for the primary needles and means to throw it out of operative position, but also has a presser for the secondary needles and means to throw it out of operative position. The

object of providing means for throwing the presser for the secondary needles out of operative position is to enable fine woolen and worsted yarns to be knitted onthe machine. When the presser for the secondary needles was not thrown out of operation it necessitated a greater strain on the yarn than where the presser for the secondary needles is thrown out of operation. Cotton yarns would stand this extra strain, but fine woolen and 80 worsted yarns would not, and therefore, the

throwing out of the presser for'the secondary needles became desirable and for certain classes of work necessary.

The machine of this invention also has a I novel yarn ide for primary nee les.

The object of the invention 1s to produce a machine of the character set forth for knit ting striped fabric, that is, tubular fabric having stripes of any width or color extending circumferentially therearound To this end the machine of this invention embodies a plurality of yarn feeds, spaced apart around the needle cylinders and each yarn feed embodying thereina single yarn guide, a presserfor the primary needles, a presser for the secondary needles, 8. sinker wheel for the primary needles, means to cut off .and clamp the yarn, andmeans to throw the yarn guide, the presser for the primary guiding yarn to the 1930. Serial No. 441,493.

\needles and the presser for the secondary needles out of operative position, and means to at the same time operate the cutting and clamping mechanism.v

The invention further contemplates the employment of pattern mechanism whereby any of the feeds may be caused to be thrown 1nto or out of operation, the feeds being thrown into or out of operation by a contact member rotating synchronously, with the needle cylinders and positioned to operate upon the different feeds, or thrown out of position so as not to operate upon said feeds by a contact member positioned between each adjacent pair of feeds, said last-named contact members being positioned by means of pattern mechanisms. By the mechanism hereinafter described, any one feed or any number of feeds may be selectively caused to be thrown out of operation or thrown into operation and held out of operation or in operation, whereby stripes of any width and different colors may be knitted circumferentially of the tubular knitted fabric.

To these ends the invention consists of the 75 combination and arrangement of parts set forth in the following specification and particularly pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the drawings Fig. 1 is a plan view part-1y in section, and somewhat diagrammatic, illustrating one complete feed and the pattern mechanism.

Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1. r Fig. 3 is a front elevation of one feed, the cylinders, their respective bed plates and running rings being broken away.

Fig, 4 is a detail plan view of one of the feed mechanisms. 1

Fig. 4a is a plan view of a 'portion of, the mechanism for throwing out the presser for the secondary needles.

Fig. 5 is a detailed elevation of a portion of the mechanism for positioning the switch 95 plate contact member, whereby the driving contact member is thrown into or out of aligngient with the rotatable driven contact memers.

Fig. 6 is an end elevation of the pattern 100 mechanism viewed in the direction of the ar 99, Fig. 8.

10, 11 and 12 are detail views illustrating the operation of the yarn guide and cutters.

Fig. 13 is a detail cross section through the yarn cutters taken on line 1313, Fig. 10.

Fig. 14 is a sectional elevation taken on line 1414, Fig. 1, illustrating the mechanism for throwing the presser for the secondary needles into and out of operation.

Fig. 15 is a sectional elevation similar to Fig. 14 but illustrating the presser for the secondary needles thrown out of operation.

Like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

In the drawings, 20 is the primary cylinder, 21 the primary needles and 22 the primary needle cams. Theprimary needle cylinder is fastened to a rotary running ring 23 rotatably mounted in a lower bedplate 24 supported upon a stationary frame. A rotary motion is imparted to the running ring 23 and the primary needle cylinder and its needles by a gear 25 fast'to the lower running 2% is the upper or secondary cylinder, 27

the secondar needles, 27 the secondary 'nee-.

'dle cams an 28 the upper running ring, to which the secondary cylinder is fastened. The upper running ring 28 is rotatably mounted in an upper bed plate 29 rigidly supported upon the frame of the machine and is rotated by means of a gear 30 fast to the upper running ring.

An annular cap plate 31 projects over the upper face of the gear 30-and is fastened to the upper bed plate 29. The gears 25 and 30 mesh into pinions, not shown in the drawings, but corresponding to the pinions 42 and 53 in applicants Patent No. 1,003,085, patented September 12, 1911, Circular knitting machine. A vertical shaft 32, to which said pinions are fastened, is driven by a pulley 33 through a shaft 34 and gearing, substantially as shown and described in said Letters Patent.

Yarn 35 is fed through guide eyes 36, Fig. 3,.to a yarn guide 37 comprising a rocker arm 170, pivoted at 171 to a shde 50 and having guide eyes 173 and 174 through whlch the yarn 35 passes into alignment with the sinkers of a sinker wheel 38 rotatably mounted upon a bracket 39, the sinker wheel being rotated by a gear 40 driven by the primary needles 21. The operation of the sinker wheel and its construction are substantially the same as that ofthe sinker wheel in said Let- 5 ters Patent.

The I beards of the primary needles are pressed by a presser bar 42, which is fastened to a rod 43 slidable in a bracket 44 fast to the lower bed plate 24. The rod 43 has an arm 45 fast thereto and slidable on a rod 46 fast to the bracket 44. Nuts 47 have screw-threaded engagement with the outer end of the rod 46 and between these nuts and the arm 45 a spiral spring 48 is interposed, acting to force the arm 45, rod 43 and presser bar 42 against the primary needles to press their beards in side of the upper bed plate 29. Said slide 50 has an arm 52 projecting laterall therefrom and connected by an adjustable link 53 to a. lever 54 which is pivoted at 55 to a bracket 56 fast to the upper bed plate 29. A spring- 172 is connected at one end to the rocker arm 170 and at its opposite end to the arm 52. The opposite end of the lever 54 to that at which the link 53 is connected, engages the under edge of a-cam 57 which is fastened to a rotary contact'member 58 mounted upon a stud 59 which, in turn, is fastened to the annular plate 31 and thereby is fastened to the upper bed plate 29. A sprin 60' encircles the stud 59- within a recesse portion 61 formed in a hub 62 of the rotary contact. member 58 and said spring 61 presses the contact member 58 against the underside of a head 63 of the stud 59, thus providing suflicient friction to prevent the rotary contact member 58 from spinning upon the stud 59.

To the upper face of the rotary contact member 58 are fastened four arms 64, which thus form a part of the contact member 58. An intermittent rotary motion is imparted to the rotary contact member 58 in a manner hereinafter described, and the cam 57 is thus rotated to pushthe inner end of. the lever 54 downwardly, a spring 65 acting to hold the inner end of the lever 54 against the edge of the cam 57. The rotary contact member 58 is rotated in the direction of the arrow d, Fig. 4, and the cam 57 will thus push the inner end of the lever 54 downwardly raising the outer end of said lever and throughthe link 53 and slide 50 the yarn guide rocker arm 170 will be raised out of operative position, that is, from the position illustrated in Fig. 12 to theposition illustrated in Fig. 10. In Fig; 12 the yarn is being fed to the needles in alignment with the sinkers 38' of the sinker wheel 38 and between the yarn guide 37 and the needles there is positioned a stationary yarn guard 66, the operation of feeding the yarn to the primary needles by the sinkers being the same as described in said Letters Patent.

When the yarn guide 37 moves from, the position illustrated in Fig. 12 to that illustrated in Fig. 10 the yarn is raised out of the path of the sinkers 38 and is cut-off andclamped by a movable cutter 67 coacting with a stationary cutter 68, all as set forth in said Letters Patent.

When the yarn guide 37 moves from the position illustrated in Fig. 12 to the position illustrated in Fig. 10 the upper end of the rocker arm 170 will engage the bracket 51 and the rocker arm 170 will then be tipped from the position illustrated in Fig. 12 to the position illustrated in Fig. 10, thus the lower end of the rocker arm yarn guide will be moved upwardly away from the sinkers 38' and also will be moved horizontally toward the cutters 67 and 68. Consequentl the distance from the guide eye 173 in t 'e rocker arm 170 to the cutters 67 and 68 will be made shorter than would be the case if the rocker arm 170 were not tipped, and also, the cutoff portion of the yarn will be held further away from the yarn sinkers, thus obviating any tendency of the fibers of the yarn which has beencut to catch in the sinker wheel and pull the yarn down betweenthe sinker wheel and the sinker wheel cap, whereby the operation of the sinker wheel would be rendered inoperative. In Figs. 11 and 12 the rocker arm 17 O engages a stop screw 171' on the slide50.

The presser bar 42 is moved outwardly from engagement with the primary needles when the yarn is cut off, in order that the loops on the primary needles may not be cast off, and this movement of the presser bar 42 is accomplished by an arm 69 which is fastened to the lowerend of a vertical shaft 7 0, the free end of the arm 69 hearing against one face of an arm 71 which is rigidly fastened to the arm 45. A rocking motion is imparted to the shaft and the arm 69 by another arm 72 fast to the upper end of the shaft 70, which shaft is rotatably mounted in a bracket 73 fast to the upper bed. plate 29.

A rocking motion is imparted to the arm 72 by a cam 74 which forms apart of the rotary contact member 58, so that when mo tion is imparted to the rotary contact member 58, the cam 74 bearing a ainst the arm 72 will rock it, together wit the shaft'70 and arm 69, andthus push the arms 71 and 45, which are in efiectone piece, away from the needle cylinder, compress ng the spring 48 and through the rod 43 movingthe presser bar 42 out of-engagement with-the primary needles.

A rocking motion is imparted to the movable cutter blade 67 by a cam 75 fast to a the proper time in the rotation of bracket 91 on the gear 30, so that as said to an arm 81 fast to. the movable cutt'er' blade 67. The movable cutter blade is pivoted tov a stud 82 fastened to a stationary bracket 83, so that as the lever 77 is rocked upwardly at its inner end, the cutter 67 will be rocked 'to close the same and cut oil the yarn and clamp it to the stationary cutter 68. The cutter 67 is only operated to sever the yarn when the yarn guide has been raised to the position illustrated in Fig. 10 and the yarn is out of alignment with the sinkers and, therefore, the inner end of the lever 77 is normally held upwardly out of the path of the cam 7 5 by an arm 84 which has an ear 85 projecting normally beneath the inner out from under the lever 77 and allowing the inner end of the lever 77 to be moved downwardly by a spring 89, thus bringing the inner end of the lever 77 into alignment with the cam 75 to be operated thereby at cylinder and opening the cutter 67.

An intermittent rotary movement is im parted to the driven contact member 58 by a driving contact member 90, which consists of a pin slidably mounted in a bracket 91 fastened to thegear 30. The pin 90, as illustrated in Fig. 3 is in its lowermost position and when in this position will operate during the rotation of the needle cylinders and gears to impart an intermittent rotatable movement to the rotary contact memberi58'with 1ts arms 64, by reason of the pin '90 contacting with one of the arms 64 and rotating the driven contact member in the direction of the arrow d, Fig. 4, a quarter turn.

The driving contact member or pin is raised out of alignment with the arms 64 on the driven contact member 58, or moved down into alignment with said arms by a switch plate 92 constituting a third contact member. The pin 90 is fastened to a slide 111 slidablevertically in the bracket 91, and is locked in either its upper or lower position by a spring-actuated pm 112. One of these switch plates, and "the mechanism by which it is positioned to move the pin 90 upor the needle down, provided between each'pair of feeds and in the present embodiment of my invention it is intended to use eight feeds posi-- theinner endof the rock shaft 94. A rocking movement is imparted to the arm 93 and the rock shaft 94 and switch plate 92 by an arm 96 which is connected by a link 97 to thearm 93, and a rocking movement is imparted to the arm 96 by a shaft 98 mounted in bearings 99 in a bracket 100 which is fastened to the frame 101 of the machine.

The outer end of the shaft 98 has an arm 102 fast thereto which is engaged by a pattern block 103 on the pattern chain 104 so as to raise the free end of the arm 102 and rock the switch plate 92 in one direction. When the block 103 has passed the outer end of the arm 102 said arm will drop and the switch plate will be rocked in the opposite direction. The pattern chain 104 is driven by a pattern wheel 105 in 'a manner well known to those skilled in this art, and the pattern wheel has fastened thereto a ratchet 106 which is rotated by a pawl-107 and rotates upon a stud 108 fast to the frame of the machine. A reciprocatory motion is im-\ parted to the pawl 107 by an arm 109, to the free end of which it is pivoted at 110.

The arm 109 is fastened to a rock shaft 113 mounted in a bracket 114 fast to the frame of the machine. The inner end of the rock shaft 113 has another arm 115 fast thereto and provided upon its free end with a cam roll 116 adapted to be engaged by a cam 117 fast to the gear 30. i The cam roll 116 is held in' the path of the cam 117 .by a spring 118 fast to the free end of an arm 119 which is in turn fastened. to the rock shaft 113. The arm 119 and therefore the arm' 115 are limited as to downward movement by the arm 119 contacting with the bracket 114.

. Each of the feeds 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 has a switch plate, and these'switch plates are positioned to be engaged by the driving contact member 90, one switch plate in advance of each feed.

120 is the switch, plate for number 2 feed and is fastened to the inner end of a rock shaft 126 and is operated b an arm 121,

" Figs. 6 and 7, which is fastene to a rock shaft 122 mounted in the bracket 100 and having fastened to the inner end thereof an arm 123.

which is connected by a very fine wire or other flexible member 124 'to an arm 125 fast to the rock shaft 126. on a bracket 127 which is fastened to the annular cap plate 31. The

wire 124 is guided to the arm 125 by posts 128 which are provided with annular grooves to receive said wire 124. In this manner the switch plate is tipped into position to raise the driving contact member 90, or to lower the same, by a block in the pattern chain 104.

In the same manner the switch plates, or third contact members for the feeds 3 and 4 are operated by arms 129 and 130 fast to shafts 131 and 132 mounted to rock in the bracket 100. The shafts 131 and 132 are provided with arms 133 and 134 respectively, and these arms are connected to arms such as the arms 93 and 125, which rock the switch plates or third contact members 92 and 120 respectively. The switch plates and connections to the same from the arms 129 and 130 are not shown in the drawings, but they are substantially-the same as the switch plates 92 and 120 and they are operated in substantially the same manner from the arms 129 and 130.

A switch plate or third contact: member 135 for feed number 8 is rocked to engage the driving contact member 90 by an arm 136, Fig. 6, which is fastened to a rock shaft 137 mounted to rock in a bracket 138. The inner end of the rock shaft 137 has an arm 139 fastened thereto and connected by a flexible wire 140 guided-by post 141 to a rocker arm 142 fast to a rock shaft 143 mounted in a bracket 144 on the ring 31. The switch plate 135 is fast to the inner end of the rock shaft 143 and is operated as hereinbefore described in relation to the switch plates 92 and 120.

Arms-145, 146 and 147 are fastened to shafts 148, 149 and 150 respectively, these shafts be-' the same in the path of the driving contact member in-order to raise or lower it, or a block may be of sufiicient width to raise a plurahty of the pawls which operate to position the switch plates, The number of blocks and the width of the blocks on the pattern chain 104 is varied and their positions on the chain laterally and longitudinally thereofmay be varied in order to throw the feeds into or out of operation as may be desired for producing stripes of different widths and different colors.

vThe presser wheel 49 for the secondary needles is rotatably mounted upon a stud 175, Fig. 14, which is fastened to a slide 176 slidably mounted in a bracket 177. The bracket 177 is pivoted at 178 to a stud 179 adjustably fastened to a bracket 180 which, in turn is fastened to the upper needle cam bracket These blocks I 181 and the upper bed plate 29 by a screw 182. The slide 176 has an arm 183 fast to its outer end and projecting upwardly therefrom into slidable engagement with a stud 184 which is fastened to the bracket 177. A spring 185 encircles the stud 184 and presses at one end against the upper end of the arm 183 and at the other end against an adjustable nut 186. The spring 185 acts to move the slide 176 and the presser 49 for the secondary needles toward the needles. The presser 49 is moved away from the needles and out of operative engagement therewith by a lever 187 pivoted at 188 to the bracket 177. The upper end of a lever 189 pivoted at 190 to a bracket 191 which is fastened to the bracket 180. The upper end of the lever 189 has a right-angled bracket 192 fastened thereto by a screw 193. A screw 194, Figs. 4 and 14, has screw-threaded engagement with the bracket 192 and thus is brought into adjustable engagement with the rear end of a slide 195 slidably mounted upon a bracket 196 fast to the upper bed plate 29. y

A spring 197 moves the slide 195 toward the upper cylinder 26 and a pin 198 in the slide 195 engages a cap 199 fast to the bracket 196, thus limiting the distance to which the slide 195 can be moved inwardly by the spring 197. The slide 195 is moved outwardly in order to rock the lever 189 and through the lever 187 cause the presser wheel 49. to be moved out of engagement with the secondary needles by the driving contact member 90 which, as the cylinders rotate as hereinbefore described, engages the inclined face 200 on the inner end of the slide 195 and pushes said slide outwardly until a pin 201 engages a pawl 202 and is held thereby against return movement as illustrated in Fig. 4a. 1

The pawl 202 is pivoted at 203 to the bracket 196 and a spring 204, fastened to the upper end of the bracket 196 by a screw 205, Fig. 14, bears against a pin 206 projecting downwardly from the pawl 202, and the said spring. 204 thus tends to move the pawl 202 away from the slide 195 and the pin 201. Another spring 207, much heavier than the spring 204, is fastened to the arm 72 and bears against the pawl 202. When the parts are in the positions illustrated in Fig. 4 then the spring 207 barely touches the edge of the pawl 202, but when the arm 72 is rocked by the cam 74, as hereinbefore described, this spring 207 will be brought'to bear with conslderable pressure against the pawl 202 and will overcome any tendency of the spring 204 to move the pawl 202 away from the pin 201.

Thus when the driving contact member 90 rotates the cam 74 a quarter turn the arm 72 will cause the spring 207 to push against the pawl 202 and move it toward the pm 201 until the spring 204 engages the ad acent face of the bracket 196, being'pushed against sa1d face by the pin 206, and while in this position the driving contact pin 90 will engage the inclined face 200 of the slide-195 and push it back until the pin 201 has passed very slightly beyond the tooth 208 on the pawl 202, whereupon the pawl will snap into the position illustrated; in Fig. 4a and the contact pin 90 having then passed beyond the slide 195 the spring 197 will move the slide 195 inwardly to the position illustrated in Fig. 4a. The inner end of the slide 195 at this time projects very slightly into the path of the driving contact member 90 as illustrated in Fig. 4a.

Upon the next rotation, in which the driving'contact'member 90 is in its lowermost position, the cam 74 will be given another quarter rotation, as hereinbefore described, and the arm 72 will move away from the pawl 202 and the pressure of the spring 207'against said pawl will be released. Upon a further motion the driving contact member 90 will strike the tip of the inclined portion of the slide 195 and move the slide back slightly, enough so that the spring 204 acting against the pin 206 on the pawl 202 will move the pawl outwardly, and the slide 195 being released by the driving contact member 90 passing therebeyond said slide will be moved forward by the spring 197 until the stop pin 198 abuts against the cap 199. The parts will then be in the relative positions illustrated in Fig. 4 and the movement of the slide 195 inwardly from the position shown in Fig. 4a tothe position shown in Fig. 4 will cause the presser 49 to be moved into contact with the secondary needles '27 through the action of the levers 189 and 187 and the slide 176 which is moved inwardly by the spring 185.

Each feed is provided with a needle cam construction of the character illustrated in Figs. 8 and 9 and embodying therein a stationary needle cam151 and a vertically movable needle cam 152. -Both the cams 151 and 152 are supported on a bracket 153 which is fastened to the lower bed plate 24, and the cam 152 has fastened thereto a stud 154 and is slidable on a guide way 155 onthe bracket 153. An arm 156 is pivoted at 157 to the bracket 153 and is drawn downwardly toward a stop 158 by a spring 159, one end of which is fastened to the free. end of the arm 156, the other end being fastened to the bracket 153. The stop 158 consists of an arm which is ivoted at 160 to the bracket 153 and is loc 'ed in adjustable position by a screw 161. The movement of the cam 152 downwardly is thus limited by the stud 154 striking the stop 158. Its movement upwardly is limited by a screw 162 on the bracket 153 and in alignment with the stud 154 which is fastened to the cam 152. Thus the distance to which the cam 152 can be raised or low-' ered is limited by the stop screw 162 and by the stop arm 158 respectlvely.

- with a yielding pressure through the arm 156 and stud 154 and spring 159, and in the drawings the cam 152 is shown in its lowermost position and at thistime the machine is doing the regular knitting and there is one loop on each of the primary needles and two loops on each of the secondary needles.

When, however, the yarn is severed, then there will be one loop on each of the primary needles and one loop on each of the secondary needles and this would bring an extra strain'on the loops if the primary needles were owered to the same point as in the regular knitting. Therefore, to compensate for this condition and regulate the tension on v the loops so that it will be the same in both instances,the cam 152 will move up slightly, due to the tension on the loops, and through the primary needles until the stop screw 162 is engaged by the-stud 154. This construction will prevent any extra strain being brought to bear upon the loops of any of the feeds when the yarn is severed as hereinbefore described.

The one loop on each of the secondary needles is not cast off for the reason that the cam for, the primary needles, illustrated in Fig. 8, draws the primary needles down just far enough to cause the old loops on the secondary needles to be held below the points of the beards of the secondary needles, and when the presser acts on the secondary needles to press the beard into the eye, the old loops on the secondar needles are lower than the point of the bear and therefore, are retained on the needles, and while the secondary needle-is raised into the cast-off position by its cam, this loop is safely under the beard and in the head of the needle.

The general operation of the mechanism hereinbefore s ecifically and to some extent in general descri ed is as follows :Assuming a feed mechanism such as feed number 1 to be operating to feed yarn to the primar needles, the parts will be in the relative positions illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3; the yarn guide 37 will be in the position illustrated in Fig. 12 and the yarn will then be fed to the primary needles by the sinkers 38'; the presser bar 42 will be-in position to press the beards of the primary needles 21 to cast off their old loops; the movable cutter blade 67 will be closed and in contact with the stationary cutter blade 68; the driving contact member 90 will be in the upper position and out of alignment with the arms 64 of the driven contact member 58.

When it is desired to sever the yarn and throw the feed number 1 out of operative relation to the needles, the switch plate 92 will be rocked by the arm 102 and connecting mechanism and by a block 103 on the pattern chain from the position illustrated in dotted lines, Fig. 5, to that shown in full lines and the contact pin or driving contact member 90 will en age the underside of the switch plate 92 and be pushed downwardly into its lowermost position, that is, into the position illustrated in Fig. 3. I

As the drivingcontact member 90 rotates synchronously with the needle cylinders, being mounted in the bracket 91 which is fastened to the gear 30, it follows that as the driving contact member 90 is carried forward in the direction that the cylinders are rotating, namely, in the direction of the arrows e, Fig.1, the contact 90 will engage one of the arms 64 and rotate the driven contact member 58 in the direction of the arrow (1, Fig. 4, a quarter turn, this will operate the yarn guide as hereinbefore described and move it from the position illustrated in Fig. 12 to that illustrated in Fig. 10, The movable cutter blade will be opened at this time and the yarn will be drawn in between the movable cutter blade 67 and the stationary cutter blade 68 by reason of the ear 851 on the arm 84 being withdrawn from under the inner end of the lever 77 when one of the arms'64 engages the tooth 88 on said arm 84. The lever 77 being freed at its inner end is drawn downwardly by the spring 89, thus raising the outer end of the lever 77 and momentarily opening the movable cutter blade 67 through the link 80 and arm 81, thus allowing the yarn to be drawn in between the two blades 67 and 68 when the yarn guide 37 is moved upwardly to the position illustrated in Fig.- 10 As soon as this has happened the cutter blade 67 is closed by t e cam 75 engaging the lower edge 76 of the lever 77 and raising the same, thus depressing the link 80 and closing the movable cutter blade 67, severing the yarn and clampin it to the stationary cutter blade 68, and %Jefore the cam 75 passes out from beneath the lower edge 76 of the lever 77, said lever 77 is locked against downward movement at its inner end by the arm 84 which is released by the arm 64 on the driven contact member passing beyond the tooth 88 on said arm 84 and allowmg the spring 87 to move the ear 85 under the inner end of the lever 77. The presser bar 42 having been moved outwardly, as hereinbefore set forth, the old loops when the primary needles are moved down at this particular feed will not be cast off, but will be retained thereon.

The presser 49 having been moved outwardly, as hereinbefore set forth, the old loops will be retained on the secondary needles.

before described, whereby the feed number 1 was thrown out of operative'relation with the needles, the said contact pin Wlll engage the switch plate in the position illustrated 1n dotted lines, Fig. 5, and will be moved up wardly so that as it passes the driven contact member 58 on feed number 1, it will not engage the arm 6'4 of said driven contact member. In other words, the feed number 1 will be left out of operation as long as may be desired.

When it is desired to throw it into operation, the third contact member or switch plate 92 will be moved into the position'illustrated in Fig. 5, in full lines, and the contact pin 90 will be drawn downwardly to engage an arm 64 of the driven contact member and the inner end of the slide 195 as illustrated in Fig. 4a and the operation hereinbefore described, whereby the yarn guide and pressers and cutter were operated, will be reversed. The yarn guide will be thrown into operation, the pressers will be thrown into operation, the cutter will be opened to release the yarn and the yarn will becarried by the yarn guide first downwardly below its normal position, as illustrated in Fig. 11, thus bringing the yarn into alignment with the sinkers, whereupon it will again move upwardly slightly to the position illustrated in Fig. 12 and the yarn will then be fed to the needles by the sinkers. During this latter operation the yarn guard 66 will prevent the yarn from being carried by the yarn guide down below the sinkers.

It will be seen, therefore, that by employing blocks ofdiilerent widths, spaced differently with relation to the edges of the pat tern chain, and spaced as may be desired longitudinally of the pattern chain, any desired combination may be obtained whereby stripes of difierent widths and of different colors may be knitted in a tubular fabric bythe machine hereinbefore described.

In the foregoing specification and in the following claims the needlesupports have been referred to as primary rotary needle cylinders and secondary rotary needle cyl-' inders and while these so-called cylinders are not from a strictly geometrical point of view cylinders, yet the term cylinders is used extensively in the art and in United States patents as designating circular rotary needle beds and, therefore, the term used may be taken to indicate circular rotary needle beds.

I claim:

1. A. circular spring needle rib knitting machine having, in combination, a primary rotary needle cylinder, a secondary rotary needle cylinder, sprin needles on each of said rotary needle cyllnders, a plurality of feed mechanisms spaced apart around said cylinders to feed yarn to the primary needles, each feed mechanism embodying a single yarn guide, a sinker wheel, a presser member for the primary needles, a presser member \for the secondary needles and a driven contact member, means operated by each of said driven contact members to throw its respecfor the secondary needles out of operative position.

2. A circular spring needle rib knit ting machine having, in combination, a primary rotary needle cylinder, a secondary rotary needle cylinder, spring needles on each of said rotary needle cylinders, a plurality of feed mechanisms spaced apart around said cylinders to feed yarn to the primary needles, each feed mechanism embodying a single yarn guide, a sinker wheel, a presser member for the primary needles, a presser member for the-secondary needles and a driven contact member, means operated by each of said driven contact members to throw its respective yarn guide and the presser member for the primary needles into or out of o erative position, a driving contact memb er ro'atable synchronously with said needle cylinders and adapted to engage and operatesaid driven contact members for the purpose aforesaid. mechanism operable by said driving contact member to throw the presser member for the secondary needles out of operative posi-' tion, and means operable by said driven contact member to lock said presser member for the secondary needles out of operative posiion.

3. A circular spring needle rib knitting machine having, in combination, a primary rotary needle cylinder, a secondary rotary needle cylinder, spring needles on' each of said rotary needle cylinders, a plurality of feed mechanisms spaced apart around said cylinders to feed yarn to the primary needles, each feed mechanism embodying a single yarn guide, a sinker wheel, a presser member for the primary needles, a presser member for the secondary needles, and a driven contact member, means operated by each of said driven contact members to throw its respec tive yarn guide and the presser member for the primary needles into or out of operative position, a driving contact member rotatable synchronously with said needle cylinders and adapted to engageand operate said driven Contact members for the purpose aforesaid.

tact member to throw the presser member secondary needles out of operative position, said driving contact member and driven contact member subsequently operating to release said presser member for the secondary needles and allow it to be moved into operative osition.

4. circular spring needle rib knitting machine having, in combination, a primary rotary needle cylinder, a secondary rotary needle cylinder, spring needles on each of said rotary needle cylinders, a plurality of feed mechanisms-spaced apart around said cylinders to feed yarn to the primary needles, each feed mechanism embodying a single yarn guide, a sinker wheel, a presser member for the primary needles, a presser member forthesecondarv needles and a drivon contact member, means operated by each of said driven contact members to throw its respective yarn guide and the presser member for the primary needles into or out of operative position, a driving contact member rotatable synchronously with said needle cylinders and adapted to engage and operate said driven contact members for the purpose aforesaid, mechanism operable by said driving contact member to throw the presser member for the secondary needles out of operative position, means operable by said driven contact member to lock said presser member for the secondary needles out of operative position, said driving contact member and driven contact member subseouently operating to release said presser member for the.

secondary needles, and a spring operating to return said presser memberfor the secondary needles into operative position.

5. A circular spring needle rib knitting machine having, in combination, a primary rotary needle cylinder, a secondary rotary needle cylinder, spring needles on each of said rotary needle cylinders,"a plurality of feed mechanisms spaced apart aroundsaid cylinders to feed yarn to the primary needles, each feed mechanism embodying a single yarn guide, a sinker wheel, a presser member for the primary needles, a presser member for the secondary needles and a driven contact member, means operated b each of said driven contact members to t row its respective yarn guide and the presser member for the primary needles into or out of operative position, a driving-contact member rotatable synchronously with said needle cyhndersand adapted to engage and operate said driven contact members for the. purpose aforesaid, mechanism-operable by said driving contact member to throw the presser member for the secondary needles out of operative position, and mechanism to move said driving contact memberinto or out of the path of said driven contact members.

6. A circular spring needle rib knitting machine having, in combination, a primary rotary 'needle cylinder, a secondary rotary spective yarn guide and the presser member for the primary needles into or out of operative position, a driving contact member r0- tatable synchronously with said needle cylinders and adapted to engage and operate said driven contact members for the purpose aforesaid, mechanism operable by said driving contact member to throw the presser member for the secondary needles out of operative position, and athird' contact member for each feed mechanism adapted to be en-.

gaged by said driving contact member, during its rotation, and the latter thereby positioned in or out of the path of said driven contact members.

7 A circular spring needle rib knitting machine having, in combination, a primary rotary needle cylinder, a secondary rotary needle cylinder, spring needles on each of said rotary needle cylinders, a plurality of feed mechanisms spaced apart around said cylinders to feed yarn to the primary needles, each feed mechanism embodying a single yarn guide, a sinker wheel, a presser member for the primary needles, a presser member for the-secondary needles and a driven contact member, means operated by each of said driven contact members to throw its respec tive yarn guide and the presser member for the primary needles into or out of operative position, a driving contact member rotatable synchronously with said needle cylinders and adapted to engage and operate said driven contact members for the pur ose aforesaid, mechanism operable by said rivingcontact member to throw the presser member for the secondary needles out of operative position, and a third contact member positioned between each pair of feed mechanisms respectively and adapted to be engaged by said driving contact member during its rotation, and the latter thereby positioned in or out of the path of the next succeeding driven contact member.

8. A circular spring needle rib knitting machine having, in combination, a primary rotary needle cylinder, a secondary rotary needle cylinder, spring needles on each of said rotary needle cylinders, a plurality of feed mechanisms spaced apart around said cylinders to feed yarn to the primary needles, each feed mechanism embodying a single yarn guide, a sinker wheel, a presser memer for the primary needles a presser memher for the secondary needles and a driven contact member, means operated by each of said driven contact members to throw its respective yarn guide and the presser member for the primary needles into or out of operative position, a driving contact member rotatable synchronously with said needle cylinders and adapted to engage and operate said driven contact members for the purpose aforesaid, mechanism operable by said driving contact member to throw the presser needle cylinder, spring needles on each of said rotary needle cylinders, a plurality of feed mechanisms spaced apart around said.

cylinders to feed yarn to the primary needles, each feed mechanism embodying a single yarn guide, a sinker wheel, a presser member for the primary needles, a presser member for the secondary needles and a driven contact member, means operated by each of said driven contact members to throw its respective yarn guide and the presser member for the primary needles into or out of-operative position, and a driving contact member rotatable synchronously with said'needle cylinders and adapted to engage andoperate said driven contact members for the purpose aforesaid, mechanism operable by said driving contact member to throw the presser member for the secondary needles out of operative position, a third contact memberfor each feed mechanism adapted to be engaged by said driving contact member during its rotation, and the latter thereby positioned in or out of the path of said drivencontact members, and pattern mechanism to position said third contact members in or out of the path of said driving contact member.

10. A circular spring needle ribknitting machine having, in combination,- a. primary rotary needle cylinder, a secondary rotary needle cylinder, spring needles on each of said rotary needle cylinders, a plurality of feed mechanisms spaced apart around said cylinders to feed yarn to the primary needles, each feed mechanism embodying a single yarn guide, a sinkerwheel, a presser member for the primary needles, a presser member for the secondary needles and a driven contact member, means operated by each of said driven contact members to throw its respec. tive yarn guide and the presser member for the primary needles into or out of operative position, a driving contact member rotatable synchronously with said needle cylinders and adapted to engage and operate said driven contact members for the purpose aforesaid, mechanism operable by said driving contact member to throw the presser member for the secondary needles out of operative position, a third contact member positioned between each pair of feed mechanisms respectively and adapted to be engaged by said driving contact member during its rotation and the latter thereby positioned in or out of the path of the next succeeding driven contact member, and mechanism to position each of said third contact members respectively in or out of the ath of said driving contact member.

11. circular spring needle rib knitting machine having, in combination, a primary rotary needle cylinder, a secondary rotary needle cylinder, spring needles on each of said rotary needle cylinders, a plurality of feed mechanisms spaced apart around said cylinders to feed yarn to the primary needles, each .feed mechanism embodying a single yarn guide, a sinker wheel, a presser member for the primary needles, a presser member for the secondary needles and a driven contact member, means operated by each of said driven contact members to throw its respective yarn guide and. the presser member for the primary needles into or out of operative po sition, a driving contact member rotatable synchronously with said needle cylinders and adapted to engage and operate said drive contact members for the purpose aforesai mechanism operable by said driving contact member to throw the presser member for the secondary needles out of operative position, a third contact member positioned between each pair of feed mechanisms respectively and adapted to be engaged by said driving contact member during its rotation, and the latter thereby positioned in or out of the path of the next succeeding driven contact member, and pattern mechanism to position each of said third contact members respectively .in or out of the path of said driving contact member.

12. A circular spring needle rib knitting machine having,.in combination, a primary rotary needle cylinder, a secondary rotary needle cylinder, spring needles on each of said rotary needle cylinders, a plurality of feed mechanisms spaced apart around said cylinders to feed yarn to the primary needles,

each feed mechanism embodying a single yarn guide, a sinker wheel, a presser member for the primary needles, a presser member for the secondary needles and a driven contact member, means operated by each of said driven contact members to throw its respective yarn guide and the presser member for the primary needles into or out of operative position, a driving contact'member rotatable synchronously with said needle cylinders and adapted to engage and operate said driven contact members for the purpose aforesaid, mechanism operable by said driving contact member to throw the presser member for the secondary needles out of operative position, a third contact member positioned between each pair of feed mechanisms respectively and adapted to be engaged by said driving contact member during its rotation, and the latter thereby positioned in or out of the path of the next succeeding driven contactmember, and mechanism to selectively position each of said third contact members in or out of the path of said driving contact member.

13. A circular spring needle knitting machine having, in combination, a primary rotary needle cylinder, a secondary rotary needle cylinder, spring needles on each of said rotary needle cylinders, a plurality of feed mechanisms spaced apart around said needle cylinders to feed yarn to the primary needles, each feed mechanism embodying a single yarn guide, sinker mechanism for the primary needles, needle pressing means for the primary needles, needle pressing means for the secondary needles and a rotatable driven contact member, cams on said rotatable driven contact member, means connected to said yarn guide and to the pressing means for'the primary needles and operable by said rotatable driven contact member cams to move said yarn guide and the pressing means for the primary needles into and out of operative position relatively to the needles,

and mechanism to throw the needle pressing means for the secondary needles out of operative position. i

' 14. A circular spring needle knitting machine having, in combination, a primary rotary needle cylinder, a secondary rotary needle c linder, spring needles on each of said rotary needle cylinders, a plurality of feed mechanisms spaced apart around said needle cylinders to feed yarn to the primary needles, each feed mechanism embodying a single yarn guide, sinker mechanism for the primary needles, needle pressing means for the primary needles, needle pressing means for the secondary needles and a rotatable driven contact member, cams on said rotat-.

able driven contact member, means connected to said yarn guide and to the pressing means for the primary needles and operable by said rotatable driven contact members cams to move said yarn guide and the pressing means for the primary needles into and out of operative position relatively to the needles, a driving contact member rotatable synchronously with said needle cylinders-and adapted to engage and impart to said rotatable driven contact members and cams an intermittent rotary motion, and mechanism operable by said driving contact member to throw the needle pressing means for the secondaryneedles out of operative position.

15. A circular spring needle knitting maing a single yarn guide, sinker mechanism for the primary needles, needle pressing means for the primary needles, needle pressing means for the secondary needles and a rotatable driven contact member, cams on said rotatable driven contact member, means connected to said yarn guide and to the pressing means for the primary needles and operable by said rotatable driven contact member cams to move. said yarn guide and the pressing means for the primary needles into and out of operative position relatively to the needles, a driving contact member rotatable synchronously with said needle cylinders and adapted to engage and impart to said rotatable driven contact members and cams an intermittent rotary motion, mechanism to move said driven contact member into or out of the path of said rotatable driven contact members, and mechanism operable by said driving contact member to throw the needle pressing means for the secondary needles out of operative position.

16. A circular spring needle knitting machine having, in combination, a primary rotary needle cylinder, a secondary rotary needle cylinder, spring needles on each of said rotary needle cylinders, a plurality of feed mechanisms spaced apart around said cylinders to feed yarn to the primary needles, each feed mechanism embodying a single yarn guide, sinker mechanism for the primary needles, needle pressing means for the prlmary needles, needle pressing means for the secondary needles and a rotatable driven contact member, means connected to said yarn guide and to said primary needle pressing means and 0 enable by said rotatable driven contact mem er to move said yarn guide and pressing means for the primary needlesinto and out of operative position relatively to the needles, a driving contact member rotatable synchronously with said needle cylinders and adapted to engage and operate said driven contact members for the purpose aforesaid, and mechanism operable by said driving contact member to throw the needle pressing means for the secondary needles out of operative position, and a spring-actuated needle cam at each of said feeds adapted to regulate the tension on the loops of yarn which are on the needles. Y

r 17. A circular spring needle knitting machine having, in combination, a primary rotary needle cylinder, a secondary rotary needle cylinder, spring needles on each of said rotary needle cylinders, a plurality of feed mechanisms, spaced apart around said needle cylinders, to feed yarn to the primary needles, each feed mechanism embodying a single yarn guide, sinker mechanism, needle pressing means for the primary needles, needle pressing means for the secondary needles, a rotatable driven contact member, means connected to said yarn guide and to said pressing means for the primary needles and operable by said rotatable driven contact member to move said yarn guide and the pressing means for the primary needles into and out of opera- 18. A circular spring needle knitting machine having, in combination, a primary rotary needle cylinder, a secondary rotary needle cylinder, spring needles on each of said needle cylinders, a presser for the primary needles, a presser for the secondary needles, a rotary driving contact member rotating synchronously with said needle cylinders a driven contact member adapted to be engaged and operated by said rotary driving contact member, mechanism operated by said driven contact member to throw said presser for the primary needles out of operative position, and mechanism operated by said driving contact member to throw said presser for the secondary needles out of operation.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

WILLIAM T. BARRATT. 

